16 political thugs remanded for allegedly attacking Deputy Gov’s convoy in Osun
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
A Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state capital has ordered the remand of 16 suspected political thugs at Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly attacking the convoy of the Deputy Governor of the state and others with stones.
The defendants were brought before an Osogbo Magistrate for allegedly attacking the convoy of the Deputy Governor of the state, Benedict Alabi, and damaging some vehicles in the entourage with stones.
The suspects that were docked are Ayobami Hammed, 25; Kareem Jamiu, 27; Yusuf Babatunde, 20; Ismail Taiwo, 20; Emmanuel Monday, 28; Bankole Sunday, 24; Raji Wasiu, 25; Babatunde Nurudeen, 31; and Adediran Morenikeji, 25.
Others are Olateju Olayemi, 24; Lawal Victor, 20; Aderemi Segun, 25; Idris Olajide, 20; Akindoyin Ifeoluwa, 22; Olanrewaju Femi, 22; and Nurudeen Sulaiman, 35.
The suspects were said to have committed the offence on May 23, 2022 when the state governor, Gboyega Oyetola; his deputy, Alabi, chieftains of the ruling APC and a crowd of party supporters visited Gbongan, the headquarters of Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state for Oyetola’s re-election campaign.
The suspects, were alleged to have armed themselves with dangerous weapons, and took over the Ife/Ibadan Expressway in the town, where they reportedly attacked some travellers after the campaign in Gbongan.
Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel, were reportedly not spared as their vehicle was attacked by the thugs.
The charge brought against them read that “Ayobami Hammed, Kareem Jamiu, Yusuf Babatunde, Ismail Taiwo, Emmanuel Monday, Bankole Sunday, Raji Wasiu, Babatunde Nurudeen, Adediran Morenikeji, Olateju Olayemi, Lawal Victor, Aderemi Segun, Idris Olajide, Akimdoyin Ifeoluwa, Olanrewaju Femi, and Nurudeen Sulaiman and others now at large, on the May 23 day of May, 2022 at about 3:45pm at Ife/lbadan Expressway, Gbongan, Osun State, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit unlawful assembly and threatening violence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You (defendants) did with intent to carry out common purpose, unlawfully assembled yourselves in such a manner as to cause persons in the neighbourhood to fear or panic and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 70 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You did with intent to intimidate or annoy, arm yourselves with guns and other dangerous weapons and attack the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You and others now at large on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit misdemeanor offences to wit going armed, willful damage and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You and others now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully go armed with guns and other dangerous weapons in public without lawful justification in such a manner as to cause terror to persons in the neighborhood and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 80 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You and others now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did willfully and unlawfully damage Toyota Hilux, Jeep vehicles belonging to the Deputy Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Il Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You and others now at large on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace by throwing stones at the convoy of the Osun State Deputy Governor and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume Laws of Osun State Nigeria 2022.”
The police prosecutor, John Idoko, urged the court to remand the defendants on the ground of the sensitivity of the matter.
The presiding Magistrate, Olusola Aluko who gave the order said that the accused be kept behind the bar, pending formal bail application be filed by their legal representatives.
Magistrate Olusola Aluko asked the defence counsels to approach the court with a formal bail application and ordered that the defendants should be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.
